


a daydream believer and a homecoming king

by manbun_zukka



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: ((we stan kataang tho)), (except for Katara), (sokka does not deal with his emotions), Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Appa is a big fluffy dog, Bato is the stepdad that you never knew you needed, Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), Coming Out, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Gay Zuko (Avatar), Getting Together, I gave Zuko a cat named Duck, Lesbian Azula (Avatar), Lesbian Suki (Avatar), Lesbian Toph Beifong, M/M, Momo is a smart bitch of a cat, Pansexual Aang (Avatar), Slow Burn, Sokka loves that part of him, Sokka plays football and Zuko deals with his emotions, Trans Zuko (Avatar), Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, almost forgot that one, as well as inarticulate idiots, because I want to put this one scene in eventually, they're both gay for each other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:01:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25102090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manbun_zukka/pseuds/manbun_zukka
Summary: Zuko is quiet. He doesn't have many friends, he's quiet in class, he spends most of his time with one earbud tucked into his ear. Then he starts tutoring Sokka.Sokka is the opposite of Zuko. He's the linebacker of the football team, he's got plenty of jock friends, but also a tight-knit group of people that he would trust with his life. He's always cracking jokes in class, but he has dyslexia, so his teacher recommends him to a student tutor, if only to help him with reading comprehension. That's how he meets Zuko.When their worlds collide, Zuko feels years of carefully built walls crashing down around him, but maybe he's okay with letting Sokka in?
Relationships: Aang & Toph Beifong & Katara & Sokka & Suki & Zuko, Katara & Sokka (Avatar), Sokka & Suki (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Suki & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 127
Kudos: 406





	1. i. early autumn

**Author's Note:**

> Hello awesome nerds! This is something that's been brewing in my head for quite some time, and I'm so excited to get it out into the world! Chapters should be up pretty quickly, but I don't think I'll have a strict uploading schedule. I hope you enjoy this first chapter, and make sure to look forward for more to come!
> 
> xx,  
> CJ

i. early autumn

  
  


It was fucking hot.

This school really needed to invest in some air conditioners. 

Zuko sighed as he pulled his shirt away from his torso, the slight breeze it made doing little to cool him off. He was sweating  _ intensely  _ underneath his binder, but there was nothing he could do about that.

As the bell rang to signal the end of the day, his Gov. AP teacher waved him up to the desk. Zuko slung his messenger bag over his shoulder and trudged towards the front of the room, caught up in the slow-moving stream of students. 

“Zuko,” the teacher smiled. She was an older woman, with grey hair, kind eyes, and a lively voice that made even the three branches of american government sound interesting. Zuko had immediately taken a liking to the way that she taught her lessons, with such life and emotion that every class almost felt like a show. “I was wondering if you could do me a favor.”

He rocked a bit on his feet, fiddling with the straps of his backpack. “What kind of favor?”

“Oh, nothing too big.” she assured him. “You’re quite quiet in class, but I’ve noticed that your grades are stellar. I’ve got a student, a junior like you, he’s got great potential, but he needs help applying himself. I was wondering if you’d be able to tutor him?”

He paused to consider. His nights were normally quite busy, but because it was only September he still had Tuesdays and Fridays free. He worked Mondays and Wednesdays at the Jasmine Dragon, the tea shop that his uncle ran, and he had karate practice on Thursdays with Master Piandao. “Uh, I guess I could fit that in. I don’t have work on Tuesdays and Fridays, if that might work for him?”

“I’ll send him an email.” the teacher said happily. “Thanks so much for helping out! You can meet in the library at five on those days, yeah?”

“Uh, yeah.” Zuko agreed. “Sounds good.”

He popped his earbuds into his ear as the teacher waved him out the door, heading down the hallway. The hall was bustling with students, all of them at their lockers during the end of the day rush, and the feel of sticky bodies moving past him made Zuko squirm. The sounds of Monsters and Men filled his ears, and he let the baseline carry him out of the crowded halls and towards the bus stop. 

The soft rock played through his phone for the entire ride, but once he reached his stop, Zuko started the half-mile walk towards the Jasmine Dragon, switching from Monsters and Men to Rage Against the Machine. He let Renegades of Funk carry him the rest of the way to the shop, and when he finally reached the back door he popped out one earbud and called up the stairs to his sister. 

“I’m home!”

“Nobody cares!” Azula yelled back. Zuko tromped up the stairs to find his younger sister splayed across the couch, wearing nothing but an oversized sweatshirt and knee-high socks, blasting ACDC over the family stereo and doing what looked like math homework. 

“Nice to see you too, Azula.” he scoffed, kicking his worn-out boots off by the door and heading down the hall towards his closet-sized bedroom. Just before he could close the door, his cat Duck slipped in through the small crack, letting out a happy chirrup. 

“Hi Duckie.” Zuko greeted her, bending down so that she could rub up against his wrist. He shut the door and immediately turned on his fan, unplugging his earphones in order to let his music seep out of his phone’s tiny speaker. He unclipped the back of his binder and slid it over his head, flopping face down onto his bed. Duck lay down next to him, nuzzling her face into his neck, and although her furry body added a bit of extra warmth that Zuko  _ so  _ did not need, he appreciated her comforting presence. 

Zuko let the music seep through his mind, smiling as his Hard Rock playlist ended, and his Indie Pop switched on. He mindlessly pulled his hair up off of his sweaty neck and into a bun on the top of his head, a few wisps slipping out and blowing about annoyingly in the gusts of air made by the fan. 

He let the soft music carry him into a shallow sleep, the sound of Duck’s purring at his side lulling him only further into dreamland.

  
  


\---

  
  


The library had a comforting quiet to it, one that Zuko had come to love. He’d started to spend much of his free time there towards the middle of his freshman year, when he was first transitioning, because there was no one there who would misgender him, or even  _ talk to him  _ for that matter, and he enjoyed being left alone.

He and Azula had moved in with their Uncle Iroh the summer before Zuko’s freshman year, after their father had finally been taken into police custody under charges of domestic violence. No matter how incredibly relieving it was for Zuko to be out of the reach of his father’s hand, Iroh had the tendency to be a touch overbearing at times, and the library had always been his place of escape from that. Somewhere to be alone.

Zuko sighed as he checked the clock; it was already seven after five. He was about to pop in his earbuds while he waited, but he was interrupted by someone barreling through the library doors, his hair wet and his bag open, books looking like they were about to fall out.

“Sorry I’m late,” the kid panted, “practice ran overtime.”

“Oh, yeah, it’s fine.” Zuko assured him. “I’m Zuko, by the way.”

“I’m Sokka, good to meet you man!”

Sokka sat down in the chair across from him, dropping his bag onto the ground beneath him. “So, what exactly do you need help with?” Zuko asked.

“Oh, uh, mostly just reading comprehension.” he said, blushing a bit. “I’m usually pretty good with memorizing facts and stuff, but I’ve got dyslexia, so getting information out of big chunks of reading is pretty hard for me.”

“Oh, okay.” Zuko said, reaching down to pull his Gov. textbook out of his messenger bag. “What chapters have you been having trouble with?”

“I think chapter four has probably been the hardest for me.” Sokka sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. “It’s the one about the development of the constitution, y’know, that doesn’t have any graphs or anything? It’s kinda hard for me to read, without anything to break up all of the paragraphs.”

“I can read it for you, if that would help?” Zuko offered. 

Sokka nodded eagerly. “Yeah, that would help a lot, thanks. I’ll just take notes.”

Zuko launched into the reading, letting himself get lost in the pages of the book. He was never really one for  _ American  _ history per se, but he was a  _ total  _ sucker for the subject as a whole, diving deep into Ancient Greek and Eyptian history when he had the chance. Nonetheless, he did still love to read about the development of the U.S. government, and Sokka seemed to be taking in information quickly and efficiently.

As Zuko continued the reading, Sokka occasionally butted in with a joke or two, and Zuko took the time to notice just how big and blue his eyes were, and the smattering of freckles across his cheeks and nose. He finished off chapter four just as the clock chimed to signal the approach of six o’clock, and Zuko shut the textbook with a satisfying crack, looking up at Sokka.

“So, er, that’s all the time we have for today, but maybe we can exchange numbers, just in case you need help with something?” he offered sheepishly, a blush creeping steadily up his cheeks. 

“Oh, yeah!” Sokka exclaimed, pulling his phone out from his pocket. They exchanged numbers, and left the library, going their separate ways for the night.

As Zuko walked from the library building towards the nearest bus stop, AJR playing through his earbuds, he couldn’t help but think about the exact shade of blue that was encompassed in Sokka’s eyes, a color so deep that Zuko felt like he could get lost in it. 

  
  


\---

  
  


“Holymotheroffuck,” Sokka cursed, barreling through the door to his house. Aang and Katara looked up at him from where they were sitting on the couch, but Sokka continued on past the two freshmen, dropping his bag on a barstool in the kitchen before he made a beeline for the back door. He swung open the gate that led from their backyard to Suki’s, his next door neighbor and best friend.

“Suki!” he yelled, swinging through the doorway and looking around. She wasn’t in the kitchen or the living room, so he continued upstairs, calling out her name. “Suki! Where the hell are you, I need some fucking help!”

“You always need help, Sokka!” she finally yelled back, poking her head out from the doorway of her bedroom. Suki left the door open and Sokka followed her inside, flopping down next to her on the bed. 

“Help.” he muttered into the bedspread. “I’ve gone into full disaster-bi mode, and I need someone to help me rationalize my thoughts.”

“Oh dear God,” Suki cursed, laying a hand over her forehead. “What the hell is it?”   
  


“My tutor.” Sokka grit out. “I was expecting, I dunno, some nerdy freshman, or maybe that teacher’s pet, whatshername, but not the most  _ amazingly gorgeous man I’ve ever laid eyes on _ .”

“I’m sorry, what?” Suki laughed, her eyes crinkling in the corners. “Your  _ tutor for Gov. AP  _ is hot?”

“No, he’s not hot!” Sokka insisted, standing up from the bed and moving to sit on Suki’s window sill. “He’s fucking beautiful. Mysterious, y’know? He’s got long ass black hair, and these  _ fucking gorgeous  _ golden eyes, and this amazing fasion sense, and I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen a more beautiful person in my entire life.”

“Not even me?!” his best friend exclaimed, crossing the room so that she could elbow him in the side. The two of them had dated for a bit back in their freshman year, but they’d always just worked better as friends. A few months after they broke up, Suki came out to Sokka as gay, and he came out to her as bi, and they slowly built up their friendship off of mutual admiration for each other and a genuine care for one another’s wellbeing. Sokka had fallen in love with Suki first as a girlfriend, and then loved her as a friend, and finally as a best friend, and he would never give her up for the world.

“No, Suki, not even you.”

  
  


\---


	2. ii. late autumn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> word vomit?
> 
> word vomit.
> 
> yes, its one am, and yes, my computer is dying, and im pretty sure i just spelled that wrong, but is that gonna stop me? no. I honestly feel like the friendship between suki and zuko is valid and left mostly unexplored, so i'll be giving it out in heavy dosages. I hope you like this chapter, and I also wanted to mention that some more sokka-centric content will me coming soon!
> 
> xx,  
> CJ

ii. late autumn

  
  


The leaves turned colors and started to fall off their trees. The air grew colder and Zuko didn’t have to worry about the school needing air conditioners anymore. He began to wear layers of sweaters and sweatshirts to school every day, and started to appreciate serving hot tea more.

He continued to meet with Sokka, twice a week, for an hour or so. They formed a tentative friendship, despite their very different social standings, and Zuko often found himself texting Sokka at the most  _ obscene  _ hours of the night.

That’s the position that he found himself in one Tuesday night, laying on his back in bed and texting this guy he had met only a month ago, yet found himself so comfortable around.

**[sokka]**

**we should hang out outside of tutoring sometime.**

**[sokka]**

**me and my friends are hiking mt. okamond this wknd, you wanna come?**

Zuko hesitated, poking the tip of his tongue past his lips as he contemplated his answer to the question. He did want to go, of course, but wouldn’t it be awkward? Or maybe Sokka’s friends were the kind of people that didn’t really mind outsiders? Did he mean his jock friends? Or his group of  _ real friends,  _ like he had so often called them?

**[zuko]**

**Are you sure I wouldn’t be imposing? I don’t want to intrude or anything.**

Sokka’s response came in swiftly, making Zuko blush furiously.

**[sokka]**

**you wouldn’t be imposing at all! of course not!**

**[zuko]**

**Alright then, I’d love to come! Just tell me when and I’ll meet you there.**

**[sokka]**

**that’s fine, i’ll pick you up :) send me your address**

Zuko did just that, and then he powered off his phone, laying it atop his chest. He always got this feeling around Sokka, this pull in his chest. It was warm and welcome and Zuko didn’t know what the hell to do with it.

  
  


\---

  
  


Sokka honked his car horn as Zuko finished pulling on his second boot, grabbing his phone off of the kitchen table.

“I’m going out hiking with friends!” he yelled to Iroh. “I’ll be back in a few hours!”

“Have fun!” Iroh yelled back, a bewildered look on his face.

“I’m sorry, what?” Azula called to Zuko’s back. “Friends?!”

Zuko shook his head at her, continuing down the stairs and out the back door. The sight that greeted him was  _ really something _ .

Sokka was hanging out of the driver’s side window of a beat-up Honda SUV, with what looked like only one seat left empty. There were three kids squished together in the second row, one who looked startlingly like Sokka (his sister maybe?), one with tan skin and a buzz cut, and one with inky black hair and a mischievous grin. In the row behind them was a girl from their year at school (Suki, his mind provided) sitting next to a  _ very fluffy  _ white dog with it’s tongue hanging out of it’s mouth. And,  _ whatthefuck _ , was that a  _ cat  _ sitting on Sokka’s lap.

“I have so many questions.” Zuko sighed, waving back at Sokka.

“C’mon dude!” his friend called, gesturing towards the empty passenger side. Zuko shook his head and continued on towards the car, getting into the passenger seat and closing the door. The cat immediately sprung up off of Sokka’s lap and onto his, leaving Sokka mumbling something about  _ fucking cat hair  _ and  _ no loyalty _ .

“Hey, man!” Sokka greeted, a grin breaking out on his face, once he’d gotten over being deserted by the cat.

“Hey.” Zuko smiled back, petting the cat in his lap. “Why the fuck do you have a cat in your car?” he asked, voice still the same cheery tone as before.

“That’s Momo,” Sokka supplied, putting the car in drive. “He’s a bitch, but we love him. And he likes walks.” 

Zuko smiled down at the little brown cat, whose ears seemed to be  _ way  _ too big for his head. “He’s cute.”

“Aww, thanks!” Sokka said. “Oh, I guess I should introduce you to everyone.” He gestured wildly towards the back seat. “On the right is Katara, my younger sister. Next to her is Aang, her boyfriend. On the left is Toph, who- actually I’m not sure how she ended up part of this group. She rocks though. And back there is Suki, my obligatory common sense and bestie. Oh, and that’s Appa.” he finished, pointing towards the dog.

“What’s up dude?” Suki asked, breaking the unstable silence that had settled over the car.

“Nothing much.” Zuko sighed. “Hey, can I put on some music?”   
  


“Have at it.” Sokka agreed, passing him the aux cord. “Just don’t play any pop. You don’t seem like the kinda guy who’d like that kinda music, but if you did Toph would probably punch you.”

“I would definitely punch you.” Toph put in from the back seat.

Zuko smiled, pulling up his Indie Pop playlist as he plugged in his phone. It was a mix of girl in red (yes, he was a gay that listened to lesbian music, let him live), some dodie, a bit of Tame and Impala, and even a few Harry Styles songs.

“You’ve got my taste in music.” Suki called from the back seat. “I appreciate that!”

Zuko laughed, feeling carefree and welcome for the first time in a while. They didn’t talk too much on the car ride over to the mountain, but instead let the music seep into the car, setting the mood for the day. 

  
  


\---

  
  


Zuko hadn’t realized just how out of shape he was, until he was wheezing up a mountain. (His binder certainly wasn’t helping with the wheezing, but he wasn’t about to mention  _ that  _ to a group of people he’d only just met.)

They were walking up the trail in three pairs, Sokka and Toph at the front, talking about something that had to do with different kinds of pine needles and taking turns walking Appa; Aang and Katara behind them, saying nothing, but holding hands and being  _ grossly couple-y _ ; and finally Suki and Zuko bringing back the rear, Suki with Momo’s leash clipped to her belt, not a single word passing between the two of them, but instead a mutual understanding of the sheer beauty of the hike.

Mount Oakmond was a little local mountain, more of a glorified hill than anything else, but the scenery and views were  _ breathtaking _ . The majority of the path was surrounded by towering pine trees, their copper needles littering the trail beneath their feet. Every once in a while, the trees would thin out, and the view would be made visible. Flowing beside the mountain was a river, and next to that was a nationally protected oak forest (hence Mount  _ Oak _ mont). It was stunningly beautiful. 

“Motherfucking  _ bitch  _ of a binder.” Zuko muttered under his breath.

“What?” Suki turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow.

“Nothing, nothing.” he sighed, waving a hand through the air, as if he could brush the topic away.

“No, really.” she pressed. “Are you? Trans, I mean.”

“Uh, yeah.” No reason to hide it now. “I am.”

“Oh.” Suki said. “That’s cool, dude. I won’t tell anyone, if you don’t want me to.”

“Yeah, thanks.” he breathed, suddenly grateful for a girl that he had met only an hour ago. “I’m not really out to anyone outside of my family.”

“I get it.” she smiled. “Your secret’s safe with me.”   
  


\---

  
  


Zuko was sitting alone in the courtyard behind school, as always, eating nothing for lunch and listening to soft classical music through one of his earphones. He had his notebook open on the concrete wall in front of him, and he was penning in all and any ideas that came to him.

He could vaguely see someone approaching the courtyard, but paid it no attention; people came back here sometimes to smoke.

“Zuko!” the person yelled. He looked up, startled, and saw Suki jogging towards him. 

“Oh, hey Suki!” he called back. “What’re you doing back here?”   
  


“I could ask you the same question.” she chuckled, reaching the stone wall he was seated upon and plopping down next to him. 

“I don’t usually like to spend time in the cafeteria.” he offered. “Too many people.”

“Ah, I can  _ totally  _ understand that.” Suki sighed. “But why stay out here all alone? There are plenty of other places to eat. And plus, it always smells like weed.”

“Is that really a bad thing?” Zuko joked, bumping Suki’s shoulder against his own.

“I guess not.” she agreed. “But seriously though, you should come inside and eat with us. We usually spend lunch in one of the English classrooms.”

“Really, I’m fine. I like to be out here. It gives me some time to stop worrying about everything about myself; the way I hold myself, my facial expressions, my posture- anything that could make me look more feminine. When I’m alone that all melts away, and I can just be.”

Suki was quiet for a moment, before she whispered something so quietly that it could have floated away with the wind. “Can I ask you something?”

Zuko closed his eyes, nodding mutely. He trusted her.

“Why are you closeted at school?” she murmured. “Every queer person I’ve met that goes here has been accepted by the community with open arms, including myself. So why go through the pain of staying in the closet?”

Zuko took a deep breath (which was, of course, harder than it should have been). “I live with my uncle and my younger sister, I’m not sure if you knew that. My mom left when I was eight and Azula was six. Our dad raised us alone for five years. Then, when I was thirteen, about a month out from finishing eighth grade, I came out to him. Or, tried to, anyways. He didn’t take it too well. Went ahead and tried to kill me by burning half my face off with an iron.” he couldn’t bear to look at Suki. Didn’t want to imagine the look on her face, the pity that she would spear for him. “My uncle sued for custody after that. I started to transition the summer that we moved in with Uncle, so by the time I hit high school, I was already on T and stuff, so no one had to know that my voice dropping and my body changing wasn’t just puberty. It made more sense to me, to keep it a secret. Just be quiet, not attract any attention, do well in class and graduate with decent grades.”

“Zuko…” Suki whispered. He still couldn’t look up at her, and by this point he’d managed to curl himself into a ball atop the concrete wall, his knees drawn up to his chest and his forehead resting atop them.

He wasn’t what exactly he was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t for Suki to pull him into a hug with tears streaming down her face. “I’m so sorry that happened to you. You deserve so much more than that.”

They sat like that for a few moments, Zuko still curled up into a little ball, Suki with her arms around him, Zuko’s notebook laying forgotten beside them. It wasn’t until the bell to signal the end of lunch rang that they parted, and Suki reached down to grab her bag, before turning and grabbing Zuko’s wrist. “Come to lunch with us tomorrow, okay? We usually eat in room 227.”

“Okay.” Zuko found himself saying. “I’ll be there.”

  
  


\---

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this update! A new one should be up pretty soon!
> 
> comments and kudos feed my soul.
> 
> xx,  
> CJ


	3. iii. early winter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just an angst machine.
> 
> Here we go! Another day, another chapter! This one made me have Feelings (TM), because it delves a bit deeper into Zuko's past. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> xx,  
> CJ

iii. early winter

  
  


Zuko found himself becoming incredibly grateful for his new group of idiots.

Besides the fact that he had somewhere warm to spend lunch, now that it was getting colder, he had found a confidant in Suki, a funny younger brother in Aang, and a kickass fierce friend in both Toph and Katara. 

Friends were something he never thought he’d have.

And then there was Sokka. 

Who he thought of as more than a friend. Who threw his head back every time he laughed, whose blue eyes matched the exact color of the ocean, who loved to just stand outside when it rained. 

Who he had a ridiculously big crush on.

The six of them were tucked away in their usual corner of the English classroom, eating lunch and chatting about anything that came to mind.

“We should have a movie night.” Sokka said suddenly. “Dad and Bato are out of town this weekend, you can all come over. I’m pretty sure that  _ Fresh Prince of Bel Air  _ reruns are playing!”

“Jeez, I haven’t seen that show in  _ ages _ .” Zuko sighed. “I used to watch it all the time when I was a kid.”

“Will Smith is a God.” Toph said. They all turned to look at her. “What?” she asked. “Someone had to say it!”

“Suki, Aang, you guys in?” Katara asked.

“Sure, I’ll come!” Suki cheered.

“I’m in if you’re all in.” Aang said swiftly.

“It’s a date!” Sokka cheered. “How about seven P.M. Saturday at our place? I just have to ask Dad.”

  
  


\---

  
  


Zuko’s breathing was shallower than it should have been.

He really should have thought more about agreeing to pull an all-nighter with his friends who happened not to know that he was trans, meaning that he either had to out himself so that he could breathe, silently almost-suffocate/inflict lasting damage on himself by binding all night, or figure something else out.

He had one ally though.

**[zuko]**

**I’ve made a poor decision. Halp.**

**[suki]**

**what the hell did you do this time?**

**[zuko]**

**I may have failed to mention to the other’s that I’m trans, and therefore cannot take binder breaks without outing myself. Unless you can think of anything else? A way around it?**

**[suki]**

**ah shit.**

**[zuko]**

**Agreed.**

**But really, I need to think up something fast, i’m waaaay too close to slow suffocation for comfort.**

**[suki]**

**do you have a big ass sweatshirt?**

**[zuko]**

**Suki, half my wardrobe is made up of big-ass sweatshirts.**

**[suki]**

**i mean, do you have one with you?**

**[zuko]**

**Yeah, why?**

**[suki]**

**i have a plan**

**[zuko]**

**What is it?**

**Suki?**

**Suki?**

**I can see you reading these, you heathen.**

**SUKI???**

“Y’all,” Suki started. She turned and grinned mysteriously at Zuko. “We need to make this into a pajama party. I’m going to get changed.”

She floated off towards the bathroom, and Toph decided to follow suit, standing up and stretching. “Katara, show me where the other bathroom is. This house is so cluttered, it feels like the rooms themselves are moving around sometimes.” 

“I guess we’re doing pajamas.” Katara sighed, unhappily extracting herself from her spot under Aang’s arm. “We’ve only got three bathrooms, so you boys can change when we’re done.”

They did just that, and when Zuko passed Suki in the hallway on the way to the bathroom, he reached out to grab her arm, whispering a succinct ‘ _ thank you _ ’.

  
  


\---

  
  


The six of them were sprawled across the floor of Sokka and Katara’s living room, with the promised reruns of  _ Fresh Prince  _ playing on the TV.

Katara was nestled snugly into Aang’s side while he played gently with the ends of her hair. Sokka and Suki were up on the couch, both of them with one half of Appa splayed across their laps. Toph was leaning against the bottom of the couch, her eyes closed as she took in the sounds of the show. Zuko was squeezed next to Suki, his knees drawn up to his chest with Momo laying languidly on the armrest next to him.

It wasn’t until the episode had already been playing for quite some time, that Zuko realized his second mistake.

_ “Hey, why should I be mad? At least he said goodbye this time.”  _ Will Smith was saying.  _ “ _ _ Who needs him? Hey, he wasn't there to teach me how to shoot my first basket, but I learned, didn't I? And I got pretty damn good at it too, didn't I, Uncle Phil?” _

It all came rushing back to him, the long nights crying, the withering glares sent his way across the dinner table, the constant pressure to  _ be the best,  _ and  _ dress more like a girl.  _

“You need to stop with all of this  _ writing nonsense,  _ Zoe.” Ozai had said. “You have to focus more on your studies so that you will attract the right type of man to be your husband.”

“Really, Zuzu.” Azula’s voice, like ice, so unlike who she really was. “You never learn, do you? Just wear the dress. Make father happy. It’s what Mother would’ve wanted, isn't it?”

Zuko shuddered, wrapping his arms more tightly around his knees. He looked around the room at his friends; all of them were watching the TV with glazed over eyes (except for Toph, who was listening to the TV, with closed eyes), and none of them seemed to have noticed him shrinking into himself more than normal.

_ “Got through my first date without him, right? I learned how to drive, I learned how to shave, I learned how to fight without him. I had *fourteen* great birthdays without him. He never even sent me a damn card!” _

Zuko was  _ not  _ going to cry. Not here, not now, now when he related more to a fictional character than ever before.

_ “To hell with him! I ain’t need him then, and I don’t need him now.” _

He couldn’t help it. He let a single tear stream silently down his scarred cheek, hoping and praying to Tui and La that no one noticed.

_ “I'll be a better father than he ever was, and I sure as hell don't need him for that, 'cause ain't a damn thing he could ever teach me about how to love my kids!” _

Zuko remembered all those nights spent at his uncle’s apartment, watching cartoons and reality tv, letting the rest of his world slip away. Uncle was always the one who would let him just be a kid, who taught him how to play Monopoly and Sorry!, always loving him for the messed up kid that he was. 

_ “How come he don’t want me, man?” _

Suki looked over at him, noticing the tear sliding down his face. She reached out and gently touched his shoulder, causing him to turn.

“You good?”  she mouthed, the concern visible in her eyes.

  
“Yeah,”  Zuko whispered back.  “It’s just too real.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this, and if you did, feel free to leave a comment and kudos! Just a little disclaimer, all of Will's lines (centered and italicized) come straight from Fresh Prince, and don't belong to me. 
> 
> The transcript I used can be found here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0583018/characters/nm0000226
> 
> Have a wonderful day, awesome nerds, and I'll see you on the next chapter!
> 
> xx,  
> CJ


	4. iv. late winter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wouldjalookatthat, were over halfway done! God, writing this has been absolutely amazing so far, and I have an amazing plan for the last three chapters, so get ready for a wild ride, folks. This particular chapter got me really emotional, and as much as I hope you feel that too, I don't want any of you to cry as much as I did. (read: a concerning ammount) I hope you enjoy!
> 
> xx,  
> CJ

iv. late winter

“Have you ever been rock climbing?” 

“Hmm?” Zuko hummed, looking up at Sokka from where he’d been bent over, petting Duck. 

“Rock climbing?” Sokka asked again. “Have you been?”

The two of them were in the living room of Zuko, Iroh, and Azula’s apartment over the Jasmine Dragon, supposed to be studying but in reality just talking and hanging out. It had turned out that Sokka lived about five blocks away from TJD, so it made more sense for them to meet there, rather than at the library. 

“Yeah, actually.” Zuko smiled, straightening up and dragging Duck into his lap so that he could sit across from Sokka on the couch. “I take karate and my master has me do one day a week of non martial-arts training, so I started rock climbing in like, sixth grade. I’ve been at the same gym forever, I even work as a counselor there at the summer camp they have!” 

“Wait, you do karate too?” Sokka asked excitedly. “What dojo?”

“I work with Master Piandao.” Zuko supplied.

“Oh my God, no way!” Sokka exclaimed. “I train with him too! That’s how  _ I  _ got into rock climbing!”   
  


“We should spar together sometime.” Zuko suggested.

“We really should.” Sokka readily agreed. “Although, I was wondering if you might want to climb this weekend? I’m usually doing kids lessons on the weekend, but I have off this Saturday, if that works for you?”

“I’d love to, Sokka.” Zuko smiled. “I’m pretty sure I have the Sunday shift this weekend anyways, and if I don’t I’ll just pester Azula into switching with me.”

“Great!” he cheered. “I go to Earth Rumble, downtown. That’s where I met Toph, actually.”

“I go to Earth Rumble too!” Zuko exclaimed. “What the fuck? How do we have all of these things in common, and yet we’ve never crossed paths?”   
  


“I don’t know.” Sokka sighed. “Probably some hint the author is trying to make about our common interests and crossing of paths having something to do with our intertwined destinies.”

“whAT.”

“Nothing, nothing, just breaking the fourth wall a bit.” 

“WhAT?!”

  
  


\---

  
  


They agreed to meet at Earth Rumble at ten on Saturday, and Sokka was already there when Zuko arrived, covered in chalk dust- and oh Spirits, it was too early in the morning for Sokka to be shirtless.

“Hey, buddy!” he greeted Zuko, a smile stretching across his face. “Where should we start?”

  
  


\---

Spirits, Zuko was beautiful.

That’s all Sokka could manage to think when he walked through the double doors and into the gym, wearing cropped pants and one of those oversized shirts that you cut the sleeves off to make into a tank top.

And, God, when did his arms get so toned?

No.

_ No. _

This wasn’t happening. Sure, Sokka had known that Zuko was attractive before, he’d even registered the fact that he probably had a  _ slight  _ crush on the person who he was pretty sure was his best friend.

But then, seeing him like that, his smile slight and genuine, his golden eyes shining like the sun, so in his element that he was practically glowing, Sokka could say that he most definitely had a rather large crush on Zuko.

But nope, this wasn’t going to be a problem. (Not today, Satan!) He’s just have to grin and bear it, wait until it passed (because it  _ had  _ to pass, please, God), and try not to lose his best friend in the process.

So, instead of saying a single word that wanted to come out of his mouth in that moment, he stuck a grin on his face and said in an overly cheery tone, “Hey, buddy!” What could be more platonic than that?  _ Push past it, Sokka _ , he reminded himself.  _ Get back on track _ . “Where should we start?”

  
  


\---

  
  


“Uh, bouldering?” Zuko offered. It was always his favorite anyways. (He didn’t really care for heights, so the lower walls were more his speed.) Sokka nodded quickly, his blue eyes lighting up as he went off on a tangent about his favorite underhanging walls.

And yeah, maybe Zuko was slowly falling in love with his best friend, but who needed to know that? (No one, that’s who.) Maybe he had started paying more attention to the little things, the details that made Sokka  _ Sokka _ .

Like the dusting of freckles across his cheeks and shoulders, which Zuko could now see also spread to his chest. And the ever-shifiting blues of his eyes, sometimes cloudy, almost grey, other times light like the sky, and even less often, deep, deep sea blue, the color of oceans so deep that Zuko could drown himself in them.

“Let’s start over there.” Sokka said, gesturing to the left-most wall. When Zuko stayed glued to the floor, still mesmerized by Sokka’s sheer beauty, Sokka reached out and grabbed his hand, dragging him along.

It was like he’d sent an electric current through Zuko’s body, and he became pliant in Sokka’s hands, letting him drag him across the gym.

Sokka let go of the offending hand to chalk up, jumping onto the wall like he wasn’t actively defying gravity and using way too much core strength to not break a sweat.

Oh, nope, that was a miscalculation. 

Because then, when he reached a point on the wall that put him into a shaft of sunlight, Zuko could see the thin layer of sweat sparkling on his tan skin, and that, my friends was officially too much.

He practically threw himself at the climb in front of him, thanking God that he landed on a fairly easy one. He tried to take his time traversing the wall, moving from climb to climb, making easy conversation with Sokka, but he couldn’t manage to distract himself from the feeling in his gut, the pull, the ache, the dull, empty pain throbbing in the back of his ribcage, contained in the back of his stubbornly beating heart, where Zuko was determined to keep it. 

  
  


\---

  
  


This wasn’t how it was supposed to be, Sokka knew that.

He just wanted to cry. Wanted to scream until his voice went hoarse, wanted to yell to the world that he was fucked.

Fucked because he had a crush on his best friend, fucked because he felt the need to hide who he really was from almost everyone he loved, fucked because he was so lost, and for too long it had felt like Zuko was his only tether.

But now, with his new revelation, Sokka felt like he was floating.

Like his tether had been cut.

  
  


\---

“That was really fun, dude!” Sokka smiled, extending his hand to Zuko for a fist bump.

Zuko accepted it, grinning gently. “We should do that again sometime.”

Sokka nodded. “Definitely. I’d love to stay and hang, but I promised Katara I’d drive her and Toph to the mall.”

Zuko didn’t want to feel disappointed, but he still did. “No, I totally get it. Younger sisters, forever the baine of our existances.”

_ Not of mine _ , he thought to himself, admiring Sokka’s tanned back as he pulled his shoes on. 

“I’ve got a bus to catch, but I’ll see you tomorrow for tutoring, right?” Zuko said, pulling his sweatshirt on. 

“Yeah,” Sokka agreed, slipping his arms into the straps of his bag. “See ya later!”

“See ya!”

Spirits, Zuko was so fucked.

  
  


\---

  
  


In retrospect, locking himself in his room and blasting sad music may not have been the best way from Zuko to deal with his newfound feelings for his best friend, but it was a nice and easy way to ease him into the crying.

He was curled up on his bed, sitting with his back against the wall and his knees drawn up to his chest, tears leaking from his good eye and onto his knees where his face was resting. He’d really rather liked to have been alone for the rest of eternity, and most certainly didn’t appreciate whoever was knocking on his door.

One knock.

Five minutes later, another.

Two minutes after that, a third.

Barely thirty seconds after the third, a voice.

“Zuzu, what’s wrong?”

Azula’s voice, unusually soft and gentle.

“Nothing, Azula.” Zuko said, trying for casual, but coming out shaky nonetheless.

“Please, Zuzu, let me in?” she pleaded. 

He’d never heard her like that.

“I need someone to talk to.” she whispered. “And you’re the only person I think might understand.”

Zuko finally crumbled. His sister never showed vulnerability like this. “The door is open.” he murmured.

Azula cracked the door and slipped in, closing it once more behind her. She was wearing an oversized sweatshirt advertizing the school mascot, as well as knee-high socks, not unusual for Azula on a weekend, but on that particular day it was coming off as more unkempt, depressed.

“I think I’m gay.” she said finally, still standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. Zuko’s head snapped up at this, finally registering the tears streaming down Azula’s face.

“C’mere.” he murmured, opening his arms. She practically collapsed into them, gentle tremors dissolving into sobs once she was safe in the confines of her older brother’s arms. “How long?” 

“F-forever, I guess.” she hiccuped. “I thought I could p-push it down. Pretend it d-didn’t exist. But, it’s just, M-M-Mai.”

“Oh, Zula.” Zuko whispered. “I know exactly what it’s like to fall in love with your bestfriend. It hurts. And it’s hard. But you need to know, you shouldn’t have to hide who you really are. You can be gay, you can be straight, you can be bi, or pan, or ace aro, and I’ll still love you. I’ll still see you as the same, horifyingly goth, absolutely lovely girl you are. And anyone who disagrees with that can try to fight me.”

“Zuzu, what part of you thinks you could beat  _ anyone  _ in a fight?”

“Azula, I’m a black belt in karate.”

“Are you really in love with your bestfriend too?” she timedly asked. “That tall tan one, with the blue eyes?”

“Yeah, him.” Zuko affirmed. “Y’know, I’ve got the perfect song for this.”

“Usually, I would’t condone your habit of listening to sad songs when you’re already sad, but maybe it  _ does  _ help.” Azula sighed, nestling deeper into her brother’s warmth.

“Here, take an earbud.”

She did, and he pressed a few buttons on his phone, before gentle guitar kicked in.

Heather by Conan Gray started to play, both siblings started to cry, and the world continued to go round.

What they were unaware of, was that at that very moment, however many miles away, Sokka and Mai were doing to exact same thing.

  
  


\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, I cried so much while writing this. I don't know why. (It may have had something to do with the fact that I was playing Heather on a loop.) I hope you enjoyed this, and if you did, feel free to drop a comment and kudos down below!
> 
> xx,  
> CJ


	5. v. early spring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! The chapter you've all been waiting for! I'm sorry this took so long to get up, I ended up rewrting almost the whole thing right before I was about to post it, because I just didn't feel great about it. I really love this end product though, and I hope you do too!
> 
> xx,  
> CJ

v. early spring

  
  


“This is boooooooring.” Suki moaned.

“It’s not my fault that Aang is the one who always comes up with good ideas for games!” Sokka exclaimed.

“We could just, I dunno, _talk_?” Zuko offered. “We don’t always need a concrete activity.”

Suki hummed in agreement and Sokka groaned, throwing his head back. “Y’all are boring.”

“Zuko,” Suki said, “Come over here so I can braid your hair.”

He crossed the room, sitting down on the floor in front of her bed. The three of them were tucked up into Suki’s bedroom while Aang, Katara and Toph spent the night at the Freshman Fling, and they had already run through Bato’s pre-approved list of movies. 

Zuko leaned back as Suki untied his hair from the messy bun that it was usually tucked away in, finger-combing it so it fanned out to his shoulders. “You want one braid, or two?”

“Two.” he said, groping blindly for his phone. “Is girl in red good for y’all?”

“Works for me.” Sokka mumbled from where he was splayed across the floor, starfished out on Suki’s carpet.

“My mom used to do my hair like this.” Zuko said softly. Suki had her nimble fingers tucked up into multiple intricately braided strands, fluffing them out and adding volume. “I remember that she would always braid my hair the night before school started, in a little crown around my head. When she left, my uncle spent the summer learning how to braid so that I could still start school with my braid. I think the reason I loved that style so much was because it made me feel like I had short hair.”

“If you wanted short hair so badly as a kid, why did you keep growing it out?” Sokka asked, gesturing towards Zuko’s long hair.

Zuko paused. He _could_ use this moment to come out to Sokka. He did have Suki here to back him up, if he needed it. So. Chicken out, or go for it. “Azula was always the favorite daughter.” Go for it it is. Sokka sat up, instantly understanding what he meant by that. He said nothing, giving Zuko his undivided attention.

“I was so confused about who I was, because I knew I liked boys just like all the other girls, but I didn’t want to wear dresses or have long hair or wear makeup like all the other girls, because I wasn’t one of them. And then, after my mom left, when I tried to come out to my dad, he tried to kill me by burning half my face off with an iron.” Zuko paused, taking a shaky breath. “When I moved in with uncle, I cut my hair off because I wanted to be like all of the other boys. I wanted the world to know that I _was_ one of the other boys. But at school, no one knew me as a girl. I was never her. I was always Zuko. So I decided that I was going to grow my hair back out, so that I could assure myself that I was comfortable in my own skin. And once it got long enough to pull back, I realized that I _did_ like my long hair. So, I’ve kept it.”

Sokka said nothing, and Suki stayed silent as well while she finished Zuko’s braids, letting the two of them have their moment.

“Y’know, I’ve actually got pretty long hair too.” Sokka finally said, looking Zuko straight in the eyes and daring him to break eye contact. His gaze was soft though, and it said to Zuko ‘Just please listen.’ “I started growing it out when my mother died, because Katara was just learning how to braid and needed someone to practice on. I’ve always kept it short on the sides, and it’s usually pulled back on top, because I’ve never really felt secure enough in my masculinity to wear it down.” He proceeded to reach behind his head and slip his fingers into his top-knot, which Zuko only then realized was held in place without a rubber band, because it was _just that long_. He loosened the bun enough to be able to shake it free, and once he let it down, Zuko noticed that it reached almost the middle of his back.

“It’s been growing for almost six years now, and I’ve only ever let Katara cut the dead-ends off with craft scissors, because I want it long. It’s pretty thin, too, so it doesn’t look like much when it’s up, but it’s a bitch to brush.”

“You should wear it down more.” Zuko smiled, reaching out to run his fingers through the strands. “Can I braid it?”

“Yeah, sure.” Sokka agreed, moving to sit in between Zuko’s legs. 

They stayed like that for the rest of the night, Suki braiding and re-braiding Zuko’s hair while he did the same to Sokka. Eventually, Zuko fell asleep leaning against the bed, Sokka fell asleep leaning against Zuko, and Suki fell asleep curled up on top of the quilt.

When Aang, Katara, and Toph showed up later that night, they didn’t question the scene, simply curled up on the bed next to Suki, forming a huddle of warm bodies.

  
  


\---

  
  


Sokka showed up to school that Monday with his hair down.

Zuko needed a goddamn moment.

  
  


\---

  
  


That Tuesday, Zuko read a poem in front of their whole English class about found family, and it was so sincere that Sokka almost cried.

Spirits, he had it bad.

  
  


\---

  
  


On Wednesday, Zuko forgot a sweatshirt and almost froze when the heat in the buildings broke down. Sokka noticed and immediately pulled him closer for warmth, before walking to his locker with Zuko still wrapped up in his arms, grabbed his extra school sweatshirt, and forced Zuko to put it on.

Zuko was _smitten_.

\---

On Thursday Zuko told the gang that he might not be in school the next day. That he had some family stuff to deal with, and he might not be able answer any texts. He told them to have their movie night without him.

Right before the bell rang to signal the end of the day, Sokka grabbed Zuko into a hug and promised him that he would always be there to talk.

And maybe he fell a bit harder.

  
  


\---

  
  


On Friday, when Zuko didn’t show up to school, just like he’d said, Sokka moped for the whole day.

  
  


\---

  
  


On Saturday, when Zuko came to the rescheduled movie night, looking tired and worn in, and Sokka let him snuggle up close on the couch while they watched LaLa Land, Suki decided that she was done with their shit.

  
  


\---

  
  


“Go. Go!” Suki yelled, practically pushing Sokka out the door. “And take Zuko with you!”

He stumbled out of the door, grabbing onto Zuko’s sweater for balance and coincidentally dragging him out behind him. The wandered laughing into Sokka’s backyard, and Zuko started whistling an old Taylor Swift song.

And that’s when inspiration struck.

“Hey,” Sokka murmured, grabbing onto Zuko’s wrist. “Can I show you something?”

“Yeah.” Zuko said, following him without hesitation.

They headed together down the hill and towards the woods behind Sokka’s house, Sokka’s hand finding it’s way into Zuko’s at one point or another.

The woods started off as a thick forest, but eventually thinned out into something more like a shaded meadow; tall and thin birch trees towered over a grassy clearing, which fanned out into a patch of flowers.

Hundreds of dandelions surrounded the banks of a small stream, and the serene sounds of birds chirping combined with the gentle noises of the water flowing over rocks filled the air.

“It’s beautiful back here, isn’t it?” Sokka whispered. “Me and Suki always used to go on dates back here when we were together, and I always told her that if I ever met a person who I managed to love more than her, I would take them back here and tell them that I liked them.”

Zuko almost stopped walking. Was this- did Sokka mean what he thought he meant? 

“C’mere.” he said, pulling Zuko towards the bank of the stream. They sat down on a rock, and Zuko leaned into Sokka, who wrapped an arm around his waist. 

“You’re the one who works better with words.” Sokka said after a few minutes. “So, I’m probably going to stumble over everything I try and say, but you have to let me work this out.”

“Okay,” Zuko breathed. 

“So. I’m bisexual. I think you should know that. Because I wanted to tell you a story. About a boy.” Sokka started, and Zuko could see his hands shaking in his lap, so he reached out and grabbed them. _Maybe he did have a chance_. “So, when I met the boy, I knew nothing about him. And as I got to know him, I realized that everything I had ever assumed about him was wrong. Because I thought he was just some quiet nerd, someone who could never mean anything to me. But he surprised me. He showed me that no one is exactly what they seem on the inside. And he became my best friend. But slowly, I started to fall for him. In a not-so-friendly way. And now, I’m sitting with him in the middle of the woods, and telling him a story, and praying that I haven’t messed up the best friendship I’ve ever had.”

Zuko could’ve kissed him right then and there. But Sokka had opened up to him, so he deserved to hear Zuko’s side of the story. 

“Now I get to tell you a story.” Zuko said. “Same rules apply. Just let me talk. If someone had told me this time last year that I would have what I have now, I’d’ve laughed in their face. Because, this September, I met a boy. He was someone who I’d always just seen as a jock, someone with all the friends I didn’t have. But then, I got to know him. And I saw the silly side of him, that loves rom coms, and reads queer romance, and spars with his best friend for fun. I saw the serious and protective side of him, that would do anything for his friends, and that won’t let anything touch his family. But, moreover, I saw a person who I loved. I loved his as my best friend, because he had given me every good thing I’d ever had. He gave me friends, and shared his friendship with me. But then, I saw him as a force of emotion. And I fell in love with him, because I knew that hiding from him would be the worst thing I’d ever done to myself. And now, I’m sitting next to him on a riverbank, telling him a story, and hoping that he understands what I mean.”

Sokka looked down at him, eyes wide. “Can I kiss you?”

And Zuko said the only thing he could’ve. “Yes.”

The kiss was soft and gentle. Zuko’s lips were warm and soft, Sokka’s were cold and chapped, but they seemed to fit together perfectly, slotting together like pieces of a puzzle. Sokka’s arms wrapped around Zuko’s waist, and hauled him into his lap, before moving up to card through his hair. Zuko’s hands came up to cup Sokka’s face.

When they parted, Zuko let out a breathless laugh and rested his forehead against Sokka’s collarbones, breathing him in. “Are we really gonna do this?” he asked.

“Yeah.” Sokka breathed, pressing a kiss to the top of Zuko’s head. “We are.”

  
  


\---

  
  


“Suki, I’m still confused,” Aang said, staring befuddled at Suki’s back in Sokka’s closet. “Why do we need all of these hoodies?”

“Just trust me.” she called from the closet. “It’s not _us_ that needs them!”

  
  


\---

  
  


“Hey boys!”

“Hey, Suki.” Sokka smiled sheepishly.

“Listen, you guys, I’d love to stay for a bit, but Azula’s sick today so I’ve got to take her shift.” Zuko sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. “I’ll be back tomorrow for movie night, though. See you then?”

“Yeah, see ya!” Toph called from the living room, not looking away from the TV (she was listening, okay?). 

“Bye, Zuko!” Aang called from where he and Katara were making dinner in the kitchen.

“Text me later, okay?” Sokka asked, catching Zuko’s wrist in his before he could leave.

“I will.” Zuko promised, smiling softly.

“Wait, Zu, before you leave,” Suki said mysteriously, “Take these.” She handed over the pile of Sokka’s hoodies, and looked pointedly at the pair of them, raising her eyebrows.

They both blushed, and Sokka cursed a bit under his breath, because _of course_ Suki knew.

Zuko slipped quietly out the door and hummed gently to himself the whole walk home.

  
  


\---

  
  


“What’s got you so happy, Zuzu?” Azula asked as he walked into the living room, Duck at his heels.

“Oh, nothing.” he smiled, his facial expression saying otherwise.

“Uncle, Zuko’s hiding something!” Azula called down the hall. 

Iroh poked his head out of his study, a teasing expression on his face. “Whatever do you think he could be hiding, Azula?”

“I dunno, Uncle, why don’t we interrogate him?” she smirked, her eyes playful.

Zuko groaned, leaning against the kitchen counter. “Why must you do this to me?”

“Because, Zuko, we care for you.” Iroh smiled warmly. Then, “So, who kissed who?”  
  


“ _Uncle!_ ”

  
  


\---

  
  


The moment Zuko shut the door behind himself, Suki launched herself at Sokka, squealing.

“Spirits, Sokka, you finally did it!” she screamed. “Tell me everything! I need to know!”

“What’s going on in here?” Aang asked, emerging from the kitchen with Katara in tow. “Why is Suki yelling? Does it have anything to do with why we gave Zuko all of those hoodies?”

“Noo _ooo,”_ Sokka mumbled, hiding his face in his hands.

“Yes!” Suki cheered. “It does!”

“What’s all this?” Hakoda asked, opening the door and stepping inside with Bato close behind him. “Did Sokka and Suki finally get back together?”

“wHAt?” Sokka yelped, catapulting himself away from Suki. “Why in the _world_ would you think that?”

“He’s only teasing,” Bato scoffed, ruffling his hair. “Does this mean that Suki and _Zuko_ finally got together?”

Sokka visibly shuddered with disgust as Suki yelled, “I’M GAY, FOLKS!”

  
Bato and Hakoda both dissolved into laughter, sharing twin looks of evil. “We’re just teasing,” Hakoda sighed, leaning into his partner. “So, Sokka, who made the first move?”

“I’d bet it was Zuko.” Bato teased. “Sokka was crushing too hard to make the first move.”  
  


“ _Bato!_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter, and if you did, pleasepleaseplease leave a comment and kudos down below, they mean the world to me! The next chapter should be up soon!
> 
> xx,  
> CJ

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this first chapter, and if you did, pleasepleaseplease leave a comment and kudos down below, they always bring so much joy into my day! Also, if you liked this little bit, make sure to bookmark/subscribe to this work so that you'll see when I post new chapters!
> 
> Thanks, and I hope you have a lovely day!  
> xx,  
> CJ


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